diff --git a/core/builder.go b/core/builder.go
index ff8fbd3275a..e93ceddb2e3 100644
--- a/core/builder.go
+++ b/core/builder.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package core
 import (
 	"context"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/bootstrap"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/node"
@@ -11,10 +12,26 @@ import (
 	"go.uber.org/fx"
 )
 
+// from https://stackoverflow.com/a/59348871
+type valueContext struct {
+	context.Context
+}
+
+func (valueContext) Deadline() (deadline time.Time, ok bool) { return }
+func (valueContext) Done() <-chan struct{}                   { return nil }
+func (valueContext) Err() error                              { return nil }
+
 type BuildCfg = node.BuildCfg // Alias for compatibility until we properly refactor the constructor interface
 
 // NewNode constructs and returns an IpfsNode using the given cfg.
 func NewNode(ctx context.Context, cfg *BuildCfg) (*IpfsNode, error) {
+	// save this context as the "lifetime" ctx.
+	lctx := ctx
+
+	// derive a new context that ignores cancellations from the lifetime ctx.
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(valueContext{ctx})
+
+	// add a metrics scope.
 	ctx = metrics.CtxScope(ctx, "ipfs")
 
 	n := &IpfsNode{
@@ -33,18 +50,27 @@ func NewNode(ctx context.Context, cfg *BuildCfg) (*IpfsNode, error) {
 	n.stop = func() error {
 		once.Do(func() {
 			stopErr = app.Stop(context.Background())
+			if stopErr != nil {
+				log.Error("failure on stop: ", stopErr)
+			}
+			// Cancel the context _after_ the app has stopped.
+			cancel()
 		})
 		return stopErr
 	}
 	n.IsOnline = cfg.Online
 
 	go func() {
-		// Note that some services use contexts to signal shutting down, which is
-		// very suboptimal. This needs to be here until that's addressed somehow
-		<-ctx.Done()
-		err := n.stop()
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Error("failure on stop: ", err)
+		// Shut down the application if the lifetime context is canceled.
+		// NOTE: we _should_ stop the application by calling `Close()`
+		// on the process. But we currently manage everything with contexts.
+		select {
+		case <-lctx.Done():
+			err := n.stop()
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error("failure on stop: ", err)
+			}
+		case <-ctx.Done():
 		}
 	}()